The Queen's Necklace - Alexandre Dumas père (electric book reader TXT) 📗

/> The count entered.

"Mon Dieu!" cried the cardinal, "is it possible? Joseph Balsamo, who was supposed to have perished in the flames?"

"Yes, monseigneur, more alive than ever."

"But, sir, you have taken a new name."

"Yes, monseigneur; the other recalled too many painful recollections. Possibly, you yourself would not have opened your door to Joseph Balsamo."

"I! oh yes, sir."

"Then monseigneur has a better memory and more honesty than most men."

"Monsieur, you once rendered me a service."

"Am I not, monseigneur, a good specimen of the results of my elixir?"

"I confess it, sir; but you seem above humanity--you, who distribute health and gold to all."

"Health perhaps, monseigneur, but not gold."

"You make no more gold."

"No, monseigneur."

"Why?"

"Because I lost the parcel of an indispensable ingredient which Althotas discovered, but of which I never had the receipt. He has carried that secret with him to the grave."

"He is dead, then? How, could you not preserve the life of this man, so useful to you, as you have kept yourself through so many centuries?"

"Because I can guard against illness, but not against such accidents as kill before I can act."

"He died from an accident, then?"

"The fire in which you thought I died killed him; or rather he, weary of life, chose to die."

"It is strange."

"No, it is natural; I have a hundred times thought of ending my life."

"But you have not done so."

"Because I enjoy a state of youth, in which health and pleasure kept me from ennui; but he had chosen one of old age. He was a savant, and cared only for science; and thus youth, with its thousand pleasures, would have constantly drawn him from its study. An old man meditates better than a young one. Althotas died a victim to his love of science: I lead a worldly life, and do nothing--I live like a planet."

"Oh, sir, your words and appearance bring to me dreams of my youth. It is ten years since I saw you."

"Yes; but if you are no longer a fine young man, you are a prince. Do you remember the day when, in my cabinet, I promised you the love of the woman whose fair locks I consulted?"

The cardinal turned from pale to red. Terror and joy almost stopped the beating of his heart.

"I remember," said he.

"Ah, let me try if I can still play the magician. This fair child of your dreams----"

"What is she doing now?"

"Ah, I suspect you yourself have seen her to-day; indeed, you have not long left her."

The cardinal could hardly stand.

"Oh, I beg, sir----" he cried.

"Let us speak of something else," said Cagliostro, sitting down.


CHAPTER LVII.

DEBTOR AND CREDITOR.

"Now that we have renewed our acquaintance, let us converse," said Cagliostro.

"Yes," replied the cardinal, "about the money you wrote of; it was a pretext, was it not?"

"No, monsieur, a serious matter, as it concerns a sum of 500,000 francs."

"The sum which you lent me?" cried the cardinal, growing pale.

"Yes, monseigneur; I love to see so good a memory in a great prince like you."

The cardinal felt overwhelmed by the blow. At last, trying to smile, he said:

"I thought that Joseph Balsamo had carried his debt with him to the tomb, as he threw the receipt into the fire."

"Monseigneur," replied the count, "the life of Joseph Balsamo is as indestructible as the sheet on which you wrote. Death cannot conquer the elixir of life; fire is powerless against asbestos."

"I do not understand," said the cardinal.

"You soon will," replied Cagliostro, producing a folded paper, which he offered to the prince.

He, before opening it, cried, "My receipt!"

"Yes, monseigneur, your receipt."

"But I saw you burn it."

"True, I threw it on the fire, but by accident you had written on a piece of asbestos, so that the receipt remained uninjured among the cinders."

"Monsieur," said the cardinal, haughtily, for he thought this a proof that he had been suspected, "believe me, I should not have denied my debt, even without this paper; therefore you were wrong to deceive me."

"I deceived you?"

"Yes; you made me think the paper was destroyed."

"To leave you the calm enjoyment of 500,000 francs."

"But, sir, why have you left such a sum for ten years unclaimed?"

"I knew, monseigneur, that it was safe. Various events have deprived me of my wealth; but, knowing that I had this sum in reserve, I have waited patiently until the last moment."

"And has that arrived?"

"Alas! yes, monseigneur."

"So that you can really wait no longer?"

"No, monseigneur."

"You want it at once?"

"If it please you to pay it."

The cardinal was at first silent, through despair. Then he said, in a hoarse voice:

"M. le Comte, we unhappy princes of the earth do not improvise fortunes as quickly as you enchanters."

"Oh, monseigneur," said Cagliostro, "I would not have asked you for this sum, had I not known beforehand that you had it."

"I have 500,000 francs?"

"30,000 in gold, 11,000 in silver, and the rest in notes, which are in this buhl cabinet."

The cardinal turned white. "You knew this?"

"Yes, monseigneur, and I know you have made great sacrifices to obtain it. I have heard that you will pay heavily for it."

"Oh, it is too true!"

"But, monseigneur, during these ten years I have often been in want and embarrassment, yet I have kept this paper back, so as not to trouble you; therefore I do not think you can complain."

"Complain! oh, no, sir; when you graciously lent me such a sum, I must ever remain your debtor. But during those ten years there were twenty occasions when I could have repaid you with ease, while to-day the restitution you demand embarrasses me dreadfully. You, who know everything, who read even hearts, and penetrate the doors of cabinets, doubtless, know also the purpose for which this money was destined."

"You are wrong, monseigneur," said Cagliostro, coldly. "My knowledge has brought me so much misery and disappointment, that I no longer seek to penetrate the secrets of others. It concerned me to know whether you had this money, as I wished to claim it; but once having ascertained that, I did not trouble myself to think for what purpose it was destined. Besides, did I know it, it might seem so grave a matter as almost to force me to waive my claim, which really at present I cannot afford to do. Therefore, I prefer to be ignorant."

"Oh, monsieur," cried the cardinal, "do not think I wish to parade my embarrassments in order to elude my debt! You have your own interests to look to; they are guaranteed by this paper, which bears my signature--that is enough. You shall have your money, although I do not think there was any promise to pay."

"Your eminence is mistaken;" and opening the paper he read these words:


"I acknowledge the receipt of 500,000 francs from M. Joseph
Balsamo, which I will repay on demand.

"LOUIS DE ROHAN."


"You see, monseigneur, that I only ask my right; besides, as this was a spontaneous loan by me to a man I hardly knew, the payment might have been equally spontaneous, without waiting for me to claim it. But you did not think so. Well, monseigneur, I withdraw this paper, and bid you adieu."

"No, count," replied the cardinal; "a Rohan must not receive lessons in generosity; besides, this is a mere question of honesty. Give me the paper, sir, and I will discharge my debt."

For a moment Cagliostro hesitated, for the pale face and distressed air of the cardinal inclined him to pity; but quickly hardening himself he handed him the paper. M. de Rohan went to the cabinet, and took out the money. "There," said he, "are your 500,000 francs; and I owe you 250,000 more for interest, which you shall have if you will give me time."

"Monseigneur," said Cagliostro, "I lent 500,000 francs to M. de Rohan, which he has paid me; he therefore owes me nothing more. I will take the notes with me, and send for the money. I thank you for your compliance with my request." Then, bowing, he left the room.

"Well," sighed M. de Rohan, "it is likely, at least, that the queen has the money, and no Joseph Balsamo will come and take it from her."


CHAPTER LVIII.

FAMILY ACCOUNTS.

It was the day before the first payment was due, and M. de Calonne had so much to do, that he had forgotten his promise. The queen had up to this time waited patiently, relying on his word; she now, however, was beginning to grow uneasy, when she received the following note:


"This evening the business with which your majesty has charged me
will be settled by the Council; the money will be with the queen
to-morrow evening."


Marie Antoinette recovered all her gaiety directly.

After dinner the king went to the Council, but in a rather bad humor. The news from Russia was bad; a vessel had been lost; some of the provinces refused to pay the taxes; also a beautiful map of the world, made by himself, had that day split into two pieces. Vainly, therefore, M. de Calonne produced his accounts, with his usual smiling air; the king continued out of temper. For a long time he sat, as usual, drawing hieroglyphics on a piece of paper, whilst the foreign correspondence was being read, and paying little attention to what passed around him.

At last, however, M. de Calonne began to speak of the loan to be raised for the ensuing year. The king became attentive, and said, "Always borrowing; but how is it to be repaid? That is a problem, M. de Calonne, for you to solve."

"Sire, a loan is only turning a stream from one direction, to cause it to flow more abundantly in another. In deepening the channel, you only increase the supply; therefore, let us not think of paying, but only of obtaining present supplies." M. de Calonne then explained his plans, which were approved by his colleagues.

The king agreed, with a sigh.

"Now we have money," said M. de Calonne, "let us dispose of it;" and he handed a paper to the king, with a list of pensions, gifts, and payments to be made.

The king glanced at the total,--"1,900,000 francs for this--enormous!"

"But, sire, one item is 500,000 francs."

"Which?"

"The advance to the queen."

"To the queen! 500,000 francs to the queen!--impossible!"

"Pardon, sire, it is correct."

"But there must be a mistake; a fortnight ago her majesty received her money."

"Sire, but if her majesty has need of money; and we all know how well she employs it."

"No," cried the king; "the queen does not want this money; she said to me that she preferred a vessel to jewels. The queen thinks but of France, and when France is poor, we that are rich ought to lend to France; and if she does require this money, it will be a greater merit to wait for it; and I guarantee